On September 28th, AltaSea will hold its fifth annual Blue Hour. The funds raised by Blue Hour support AltaSea’s Ocean STEM program, which provides free educational curriculum that teaches students throughout Los Angeles about blue economy industries, including regenerative aquaculture, underwater robotics, and renewable energy.

This year, AltaSea has many accomplishments to celebrate, including its 10th anniversary and the grand opening of the Center for Innovation at the newly renovated historic warehouses known as Berths 58, 59, and 60. At Blue Hour, guests will have an opportunity to see the newly renovated facilities and enjoy the ocean views beyond Berth 60. 

The theme of this year’s Blue Hour is Ocean Songs. The event will feature an ocean-themed musical performance curated by producer Joel Sill, who is known for his work on Forrest Gump, Terminator 3, Blade Runner, and many other box office hits. Trani’s Dockside Station, Chef Dustin Trani’s local San Pedro seafood restaurant, will cater the event.

A key aspect of Blue Hour is honoring individuals who are champions of ocean conservation and stewardship. AltaSea recently announced that Blue Hour 2024 awardees are as follows:

Builders Vision, Innovation Reward recipient. The Innovation Award is given to companies that display ingenuity, drive progress, and solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. Builders Vision, founded by Lukas Walton, has funded multiple projects housed at AltaSea, including the Sergey Nuzhdin Lab at the University of Southern California, Braid Theory, Santa Monica College’s Certificate in Aquaculture program, Food + Planet, and AltaSea’s own Blue Sustainable Economy Alliance (BlueSEA).

Dr. Sandra Whitehouse, Cornerstone Award recipient. A marine scientist and senior policy advisor at the Ocean Conservancy,  Dr. Whitehouse helps advance policies and programs related to ocean health, sustainable coastal economies, and marine ecosystems. She formerly served as the founding Chief Scientific Officer for AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.

This year’s host committee includes environmental activists Ashlan and Philippe Cousteau, ocean explorer Dr. Bob Ballard, renowned oceanographer Sylvia Earle, award-winning opera director Peter Sellars, and San Pedro Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Lauren Johnson.

Blue Hour will take place on September 28th in AltaSea’s Berth 60, with doors opening at 5:30 PM and music performances starting at 7:00 PM. Tickets are available to the public, but selling out fast. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit this link.